After attending Marist School near Atlanta, Harpring played college basketball at Georgia Tech, where he was a four-year starter. He was named First Team All-ACC three times (the only other Yellow Jacket player to accomplish this feat was Mark Price from 1984 to 1986). In his senior season (1997–98), Harpring set career-highs by averaging 21.6 points and 9.4 rebounds per game, ranking second in the ACC in both categories. For his efforts, he was named Third Team All-American.

He finished his collegiate career as Georgia Tech's second all-time leader in points (2,225) and rebounds (997). He is the institute's all-time leader in free throws attempted (675) and made (508). Prior to his final regular season home game, Georgia Tech retired Harpring's jersey number 15. In 2002, Harpring was selected to the ACC 50th Anniversary men's basketball team as one of the fifty greatest players in Atlantic Coast Conference history.

While he excelled on the court, he was equally impressive in the classroom. Harpring earned a bachelor's degree in business management from Georgia Tech, and was named GTE Academic All-District III three times. As a senior, he was an Academic All-American.[citation needed]

The Orlando Magic selected Harpring with the 15th pick in the first round of the 1998 NBA draft. In his rookie season, he averaged 8.2 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. He started 22 of 50 games, averaging 10.5 points and 5.5 rebounds as a starter. He was named to the 1998–99NBA All-Rookie First Team.

In his second year with the Magic, Harpring played in just four games. An injury to his left ankle sidelined him for most of the season. In August 2000, he was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers for center Andrew DeClercq. He played just one season with the Cavs, averaging 11.1 points and 4.3 rebounds in 56 games. He scored a career-high 28 points against Charlotte on March 16, 2001.

In August 2001, the Cavs traded Harpring to the Philadelphia 76ers along with Cedric Henderson and Robert Traylor in exchange for Tyrone Hill and Jumaine Jones.[1] Harpring played in 81 games for the Sixers during the 2001–02 season. He set career highs in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks. For the year, he averaged 11.8 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. He scored 20 or more points in five different games.

Harpring signed a free agent contract with the Utah Jazz in August 2002. Known as a smart, hard-working player, he fit well in Utah's offensive system, playing alongside superstars Karl Malone and John Stockton. Harpring played the best basketball of his career, averaging 17.6 points per game while shooting 51.1 percent from the floor and 41.3 percent on three-pointers. He set a new career high with 30 points against the Los Angeles Clippers on November 26, 2002. Three nights later, he set another career high with 33 points against the Minnesota Timberwolves (on November 29, 2002). He finished second in voting for the NBA's Most Improved Player in 2002–03 (behind Golden State's Gilbert Arenas).

Prior to the 2003–04 season, Stockton announced his retirement and Malone left Utah to play for the Los Angeles Lakers. Harpring was named team captain by coach Jerry Sloan. Harpring provided leadership for the young team, which played surprisingly well despite the departures of Malone and Stockton. Harpring's season ended suddenly with a knee injury that required surgery to repair. In 31 games, he averaged 16.2 points and 8.0 rebounds per game. At the time of his injury, he was Utah's leading scorer.

In 2009, after suffering various injuries and a post-surgery infection in his ankle, Harpring announced that he would probably not be able to continue playing in the NBA, though he did not formally retire.[2] He joined the Jazz television broadcast team for a few games to add color commentary.

Since 2010, Harpring has successfully transitioned to his current role as color commentary voice for the games broadcast on AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain,[3] adding a dry sense of humor which he admits he suppressed while a player to the widely recognized play-by-play skills of Craig Bolerjack.[4]

On December 22, 2009, Harpring's contract was included in a trade between the Jazz and the Oklahoma City Thunder, sending Harpring and point guard Eric Maynor to the Thunder in exchange for the rights to 2002 draft pick Peter Fehse. Harpring did not report to Oklahoma City,[5][6] who waived him on February 22, 2010. He then joined NBA TV as a studio analyst.[7]

Harpring and his wife Amanda, who is a physician, have five children: the first son Luke Matthew and second daughter Kate Eileen (b. January 2008).[8]
Harpring mentioned on the Utah Jazz broadcast that he enjoys The Office. (Utah vs. Dallas, October 28, 2018).[9]

Utah Jazz

The Utah Jazz are an American professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Jazz compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member club of the league's Western Conference, Northwest Division. Since 1991, the team has played its home games at Vivint Smart Home Arena. The franchise began play as an expansion team in 1974 as the New Orleans Jazz. The Jazz moved to Salt Lake City in 1979.

John Stockton

John Houston Stockton is an American retired professional basketball player. He spent his entire NBA career (1984-2003) as a point guard for the Utah Jazz, and the team made the playoffs in each of his 19 seasons. In 1997 and 1998, together with his longtime teammate Karl Malone, Stockton led the Jazz to the franchise's first two NBA Finals appearances. Stockton is a ten-time NBA All-Star and a two-time Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee. In 1996, he was named one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history. Stockton holds the NBA records for most career assists and steals by wide margins and is regarded as one of the greatest point guards of all time.

Karl Malone

Karl Anthony Malone is an American retired professional basketball player. Nicknamed "The Mailman", Malone played the power forward position and spent his first 18 seasons (1985–2003) in the National Basketball Association (NBA) with the Utah Jazz and formed a formidable duo with his teammate John Stockton. Malone also played one season for the Los Angeles Lakers. Malone was a two-time NBA Most Valuable Player, a 14-time NBA All-Star, and an 11-time member of the All-NBA first team. His 36,928 career points scored rank second all-time in NBA history, and he holds the records for most free throws attempted and made, in addition to co-holding the record for the second-most first team All-NBA selections in history. He is considered one of the greatest power forwards in NBA history.

Mark Eaton (basketball)

Mark E. Eaton is an American retired professional basketball player who was a member of the National Basketball Association's Utah Jazz from 1982 to 1993, with one NBA All-Star selection in 1989, and two NBA Defensive Player of the Year awards in 1985 and 1989. Though limited offensively, Eaton's 7 ft 4 in (2.24 m) height helped him become one of the best defensive centers in NBA history. Eaton holds the NBA record for most blocks in a season (456) and career average blocked shots per game (3.50).

Carlos Boozer

Carlos Boozer Jr. is an American retired professional basketball player. The two-time NBA All-Star played for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Utah Jazz, Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers, and then spent his last season playing overseas with the Guangdong Southern Tigers. As a member of Team USA, Boozer won an Olympic bronze medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics and an Olympic gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Devin Brown

Devin LaVell Brown is an American former professional basketball shooting guard who last played for the Erie BayHawks of the NBA Development League.

Austin Carr

Austin George Carr is an American retired professional basketball player who played for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, and Washington Bullets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is known by Cleveland basketball fans as "Mr. Cavalier". He was part of the Notre Dame team which defeated the UCLA Bruins on January 19, 1971, which was UCLA's last defeat until being beaten by Notre Dame exactly three years later, breaking the Bruins' NCAA men's basketball record 88-game winning streak.

Anderson Varejão

Anderson França Varejão is a Brazilian professional basketball player for Flamengo of the Novo Basquete Brasil (NBB). A 13-year NBA veteran, he spent the previous 12 seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he was a fan favorite and endeared himself to his teammates with his hustle. Varejão is also a regular member of the Brazilian national team, winning a gold medal in 2003 at the Pan American Games.

Mo Williams

Maurice "Mo" Williams is an American former professional basketball player who played 13 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). After a successful high school career at Murrah High School, Williams attended college at the University of Alabama, where he led his team as a freshman to a 27–8 record, and also shared an SEC regular-season championship. After two seasons at Alabama, Williams entered the 2003 NBA draft where he was selected with the 47th overall pick by the Utah Jazz. Throughout his career, he has also played for the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Clippers, Portland Trail Blazers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Charlotte Hornets and Cleveland Cavaliers. In 2009, Williams was selected as an NBA All-Star. In 2016, he won his first NBA championship with the Cavaliers. In May 2018, he became an assistant coach for the Cal State Northridge Matadors men's basketball team.

Ronnie Price

Ronald D'Wayne Price is an American former professional basketball player and current scout for the Phoenix Suns.
Price grew up in Friendswood, Texas and played college basketball for one year at Nicholls State and three years at Utah Valley State. Price was not drafted in the 2005 NBA draft and played for the Sacramento Kings from 2005 to 2008. Price then played for the Utah Jazz, Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers, Orlando Magic, and Los Angeles Lakers before returning to Phoenix for a second and final playing stint.

Craig Bolerjack

Kyle Craig Bolerjack is an American sportscaster. He is currently calling Utah Jazz telecasts on AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain with Matt Harpring.

Eric Maynor

Eric Demarqua Maynor is an American professional basketball player for Orlandina Basket of the Italian Lega Basket Serie A (LBA). He played college basketball for the Virginia Commonwealth University Rams. As a senior, he averaged 22.4 points, 6.2 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game in the 2008–2009 season.

Russell Westbrook

Russell Westbrook III is an American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is an eight-time NBA All-Star, and a two-time NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player, winning consecutive awards in 2015 and 2016. He is also an eight-time All-NBA Team member and led the league in scoring in 2014–15 and 2016–17. In 2017, Westbrook became one of two players in NBA history to average a triple-double for a season, along with Oscar Robertson in 1962. He also set a record for the most triple-doubles in a season, with 42. He was subsequently named the 2016–17 NBA Most Valuable Player. He went on to average a triple-double the following two seasons also, as well as leading the league in assists and becoming the first player to lead the league in points and assists in multiple seasons.

Iman Shumpert

Iman Asante Shumpert is an American professional basketball player for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Shumpert was selected by the New York Knicks with the 17th overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft. Shumpert won an NBA championship with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016.

Paul George

Paul Clifton Anthony George is an American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is a six-time NBA All-Star and four-time All-NBA Team selection, as well as a four-time member of the NBA All-Defensive Team.

Rudy Gobert

Rudy Gobert-Bourgarel is a French professional basketball player for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He also represents the French national basketball team in the international competitions. Standing at 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) tall with a wingspan of 7 ft 9 in (2.36 m) long, he plays at the center position. He was the NBA blocks leader in the 2016–17 season, and was named an All-NBA Team member that season as well.